When I was growing up, I could never, ever wait to wear new clothes. Say I went shopping and bought a shirt. I’d wear that shirt to school the next day. Say I went shopping and bought three shirts. I’d wear them to school over the next three days. Say it was October and I bought a dress for the prom the following April. I’d wear it on Halloween night instead. I saw absolutely no need to have new, unworn clothes hanging in my closet. Patience was never my thing.

Similarly, I’ve found that the most difficult thing about putting together a cookbook…well, besides cooking all the food, taking photos of all the food, editing all the photos, writing all the recipes, and pretty much the whole thing…is actually saving things for the cookbook. Do you know how difficult it is for me to have new, photographed recipes on my hard drive and actually have to sit on them ’til my cookbook is published? It’s TORTURE, I tell you…torture. It’s against everything I’m about; it’s against God’s plan for me. So is my bottom, which is definitely NOT the hardest thing about putting together a cookbook. It’s the softest. I can’t do any more cookbooks for awhile.

I’m taking this same I’m-not-good-at-waiting approach with the senior portraits I took of Cody Sunday afternoon. If I were smart, I’d save them. I’d post one or two one day, then post a couple more next week when I’m really busy and in need of something to post. Then maybe, a month from now, I’d share some more. But that’s against God’s plan for me. So I’m pretty much going to post them all right now. I’ll worry about next week…next week. And I can’t promise I won’t post my cookbook recipes between now and next summer. I just can’t promise anything right now. I just can’t promise. I just can’t. I just. I.

So Cody’s taking over things this week. Why, as we speak, he’s even invading my Photography Section, where I’m delineating the differences between two separate shots of him—one taken with a Nikon, the other with a Canon. (Enter at your own risk. Things might get ugly.)

I had so much fun taking Cody’s portrait.

He really only had two requests: one, that he have a photo of Yeller and him together. Check.

The other—and I thought this was a particularly cute request—that he have a photo of the class ring on his finger.

When he first mentioned the latter, I immediately thought to myself, “Oh no. I don’t think I can do that.” I pictured all the bad 80′s portraits of kids wearing their graduation tassels, and me wearing my turquoise eyeliner. I heard “class ring in the photo” and I immediately thought “cheesy.”

But Cody said, “Maybe I could just have my hand on my saddle like this.” And I reckoned that was about the most brilliant idea anyone had had all day. Certainly better than anything I could have come up with.

Listen to the children, people. I believe the children are our future.

This one, if I’m not careful, kind of gives me the creeps. Sometimes when I look at it, it appears that Cody is standing behind his saddle and some detached, amputated arm is grabbing the saddle horn. But that’s not Cody’s fault.

After the class ring, I moved on to the soles of his boots.

I don’t remember anyone doing that in the 80′s. If anyone ever did that, I never heard about it on the golf course.

And, of course, I couldn’t stay out of the doorway of the barn. There’s something about it…you almost want to know what’s going on outside the door.

I’ll tell you what’s going on outside the door. What’s going on is a fifteen foot drop—that’s what.

See? I told you.

But at least I could get more sole-of-the-boot shots.

I wonder if this bottom-of-the-foot photography trend will soon fade, just as the feather boas and chin-on-the-hand-on-the-chin trend also faded, and then those of us who contributed to/participated in this trend will one day have to sift through the smoldering aftermath of our folly and spend the rest of our lives asking ourselves the same question we now ask ourselves about the chin-on-the-hand-on-the-chin: WHAT was I THINKING?

But I figure this: at least the soles in these photos are those of cowboy boots. If they’d been Sperry Topsiders or Famolares or Hi-Top (not HIGH-top…HI-top) Reeboks, I might be a little more worried.

And if any of you says “What are Famolares?” I’ll deck ya.

Thank you, Cody, for taking over my website for the past two days. We hope you have a wonderful life. Goodbye.

542 Comments

I really am impressed by your photography. If I could make ONE TEENY-WEENY SUGGESTION it would be to make his face a little more in-focus in the soles-of-the-boots shots. I understand the meaning behind those shots, but they are still portraits of him, right? Just a thought.

2

Rebecca Mick On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:24 am

More great pics! Good job!

3

kate On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:25 am

Okay, he is so cute, and what a stud standing there in his chaps at the doorway! He will make a woman proud one day

4

bizban On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:25 am

Love the photos! I’m right with you on needing a more original approach to Senior Pics. These are beautiful and so unique. Cody is a lucky guy!

Love love love the photos!
The offer to come to Texas to take my kids pics still stands….
I’ll not only feed ya….
I’ll send you home with Chickens!
You need chickens! no? ok Turkeys… or pigs?… or Great Danes?

I got it!!
You can have one of my boys!
I have several to choose from!
I think it’s a great deal!

23

Hey-Nana On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:28 am

These photos touched my soul. Thank Cody for letting you share these with us.

Amy On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:29 am

I love how his personality just shines through the photos. He definitely looks like the kind of person you want to get to know. I love the ring shots. Clever way of doing that. I wish I’d thought of something that clever when getting the dreaded wedding ring shots.

30

Anonymous On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:30 am

love these pics!! I hate the senior pictures these days that try to reflect a “sexy” image for our teens…this simply shows his good looks, and a “I know who I am and I am proud of it” feeling!!! love the door picture!

Betty from Holland On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:31 am

Beautiful pictures as always. I really like those with the ring and those outside the door.

37

Dawn W On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:31 am

Wow, what a handsome young man! Great photos! Thanks for sharing. I always love looking at Senior Photos, what a great time of life. I am 15 years out of school and still trying to decide what it is that I want to be when I grow up.

sadie On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:33 am

as the mother of a high school senior, who is shelling out thousands of dollars for photos (no joke…when did wallets start costing $5 each?), i can say that these are beautiful and i wish we lived closer to you! the angles/perspectives/depth of color are very striking.
nice work!

45

shelly On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:35 am

love it, love it, LOVE IT! I love it all and think you really caught his personality. Good JOB!!

46

Charles On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:35 am

Great shots. But, what are Famolares!? I’m gonna have to look this up. Oh! And by the way, If you post all the recipes for your cookbook online, I’ll still buy two copies of your cookbook when it’s finished. I promise!

Margaret On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:39 am

Stef On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:39 am

ah! cute! I feel the SAME way about the whole shopping and wanted to wear it ASAP dilemma I thought it was funny you should mention Sperry Topsiders as an 80′s trend because while in High school (graduated 2007) Sperry Topsiders were the STYLE! Goes to show some things never go out of style!!

56

Mary On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:39 am

I had several pairs of Famolares….and I’m a lot older than you!!!

57

FLWendy On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:39 am

Great shots, Ree! I wonder if the Famolares were a regional thing? Here in FL we weren’t wearing those. Hmm….what years were they popular (I’m the same age as you)?

58

Alina On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:40 am

Just lovely! Cody is going to have beautiful pics to remember this milestone thoughout his entire life!

Julie On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:40 am

I know you’re so modest about your photography, but these are fantastic shots and make you look like a pro. I used to work in the ad business, and I’d be proud to put any of these in a national magazine. It helps that Cody is such a cooperative model!

These are great shots! And I hear ya on the chin-on-hand senior portraits. Chee-ZEE. I’m just glad my kids won’t end up looking like this.

68

Sandra in Phx On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:44 am

I love the shot of him in his chaps. Some girl is gonna drool over those. Not me of course because I am a married woman with FIVE kids and that is just gross. But if I was a might bit younger…

69

Alana On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:44 am

I love the pictures of Cody! Did you know that Famolares have made a comeback of sorts? My local “comfortable shoe” store (think: ecco and Mephisto) carries a bunch of Famolare sandals! Very scary and yet full of memories at the same time.

Oh, that first ring shot is excellent. And all the ones where you’re on the ground and he’s in the doorway, that first doorway one looking up at him is. is. awesome. (I just used excellent and aweseome in the same comment, like, what’s my deal?)

the ring shots turned out really cool! Im still really jealous. Can you do my senior portraits? I mean…yeah that was years ago and all, but we can pretend right? Ahem…cause I totally still look exactly the same. Minus the poofy hair

76

sheri On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:46 am

As a mom of a former Senior- I can say that his mom will be thrilled with these-

I love the pictures of Cody and you can tell by looking at him that he has to be such a great guy. The soles of the boots were my favorite, well along with the chaps. I love a man in chaps and a cowboy hat, makes me all tingly.

87

Renee On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:52 am

I remember Famolares. I had about 5 pairs….i loved them and Dexter shoes too!!!!

Love the pic from 15 ft down!! It is maybe my fave! And the ring shots and the soles…aw, shucks Ma’am I like ‘em all! LOL. You and Cody should both be right proud!
Janicehttp://gracexpectations.blogspot.com

90

Cathy in MN On Tuesday, September 9 at 8:54 am

AWESOME pictures. Loving the one looking up at him in the door way. They are all so unique and FANTABULOUS!

Love the pic from 15 ft down!! It is maybe my fave! And the ring shots and the soles…aw, shucks Ma’am I like ‘em all! LOL. You and Cody should both be right proud!
Janice http://gracexpectations.blogspot.com

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